Vietnam 1968 NOTES

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1968
I could probabaly spend an entire week on the year 1968, and still leave out some important information about his key year in American history. Create a page on your notebook called "1968" and take some notes today focussing on this key question - Why was 1968 such a turning point in the Vietnam Era?

NOTES

Why was 1968 such a turning point in the Vietnam era?

Leading up to 1968...
  • No clear cut winner
  • Increase in American force in SE Asia
  • Viet Cong proved to be guiding force in South Vietnam
  • US tries to "pacify" South Vietnan

Lyndon B. Johnson determined
  • Optimistic reports are sent back
  • McNamara sees "a light at the end of the tunnel"
  • Overall, the public still supported America in Vietnam

The Tet Offensive
  • An attack on U.S. stronghold throughout Southern Vietnam by the VC
  • Vietnamese lose Tet Offensive
  • Tet was the New Year of Vietnam
  • Shook the public, who thought the enemy was about to lose
  • TURNING POINT

LBJ struggles
  • Congress cuts his power

Public Opinion Changes
  • US involvement in the war criticized
  • Defense Secretary "this war is unwinable"
  • Johnson is looked at as a bad president
  • Johnson is done as a president

Assassination
  • MLK is killed in Memphis, TN
  • He was very critical of the war
  • Killed 5 days later after LBJ said he was done
  • National riots, violence extremely rises
  • Robert Kennedy favorite for presidency
  • Assassinated after speech

1968 election
  • Crazy, crazy election year
  • Olympics in Mexico City
  • Humphrey vs. Nixon vs. Wallace
  • Nixon wins, promised peace and victory in Vietnam
  • Antiwar protests starts: who's protesting? why? how?